This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Tonneau cover systems have been used for a number of years to cover the cargo box of pickup trucks against dirt, debris, and other environmental contaminants and to improve the aesthetic quality thereof. Current tonneau cover systems often employ a soft, often rollable, cover or a hard, often foldable, cover as the main covering means. In some applications, a VELCRO® hook-and-loop fastening system can couple between the soft tarp of the tonneau cover and the side walls of the cargo box of the pickup truck. This arrangement permits the tarp to be coupled to the cargo box to conceal the contents thereof or, alternatively, to be rolled up or otherwise removed to reveal the contents of the cargo box of the pickup truck.
In many applications, a rail system is used that couples to the side walls of the cargo box of the pickup truck. This rail system may serve as a convenient attachment system for coupling the cover to the cargo box. However, in many conventional applications, the connection system that permits connection of the cover to the side rails and, thus, to the side walls of the cargo box can be cumbersome or require complex attachment and/or detachment processes. Moreover, in some conventional applications, the connection system may prevent or inhibit access to the front or header portion of the cargo box. That is, in some applications, the cover must be removed from the rear first before unlatching in a forward direction (relative to the vehicle). Although there have been attempts to provide access to the front or header portion of the cargo box direction in some tonneau cover systems, these attempts have not always provided convenient access while simultaneously providing sufficient retention when closed. In fact, in some applications, retention may not provide longitudinal, transverse, and vertical restraint (relative to the vehicle). Still further, in some application, attachment of the header can involve a cumbersome process of engaging clamps or other retention systems that are difficult and subject to failure.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a tonneau cover system capable of overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art. Additionally, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a tonneau cover system, and in particular a latch mechanism and associated rail and striker assembly capable of quickly, simply, and reliably coupling the header portion of the tonneau cover system to the vehicle. In some embodiments, this latch mechanism can further aid in retaining the header portion in all three degrees of direction (longitudinal, transverse, and vertical) and can permit varied adjustment and/or space accommodation in the vertical direction.